Massage

Issues in Tissues

by Melinda Nye

"My
mother wanted to divorce me." Brynn Bennett, a certified massage therapist
affiliated with Fit Happens, laughs at the irony. Her plan was to alleviate
stress, not induce it. (In all fairness, massage therapy hardly represented
a mainstream career choice at the time.) Fortunately, in the more than
twenty years since Brynn became certified, massage therapy has been widely
recognized as a key component in programs geared towards improved health.
In an era of aggressive sports and an aging population, hands-on treatments
are accepted as indisputably beneficial. Massage is often suggested in
regular programs for stress management ­ both physical and emotional.

When we think of massage, most of us think of Swedish Massage, a muscle
relaxation technique developed in the1700s by Doctor Per Henrik Ling.
Ling's methods were intended to keep tendons and ligaments supple by
applying pressure to muscles. Swedish massage techniques (often in this
order) include long strokes with the palms and fingers, kneading with
the knuckles and fingers, circular friction, shaking, tapping, and stretching.
Today, variations of his therapy, such as deep tissue massage, have become
commonplace. For Brynn, deep tissue massage ­ and its ready application
for myriad body types and needs ­ is her most popular treatment.

While massage therapists learn to address different physical problems,
clients can be stubborn, locked into a mindset of who can and cannot
deliver the goods. Among Brynn's more notable experiences was an introduction
to gladiators with the former Meadowlands Arena Football Team. In arena
football the goal appears not so much victory as annihilation; predictable
aches lead to predictable needs. At the first session, Brynn ­ 5'7" and
the only woman in a team of practitioners ­ had to fight a perception
that she wasn't strong enough to deliver deep tissue therapy. "They were
all gentlemen, actually," she recalls. "But they went for the masseurs." (A
female practitioner is called a masseuse; a male practitioner is a masseur.)
One giant, a 6'4" gladiator who weighed well over three hundred pounds,
finally took pity on her. In much the way that jockey Julie Krone stopped
skeptical horse trainers with a bone crushing handshake, Brynn went to
work on the big man. "It's something to feel the power of them ­ and
still make them cringe with fingertip pressure," she laughs. The gladiator
was surprised, then impressed by Brynn's strength. (He delivered perhaps
his greatest accolade: "I don't want to fight with you.") The word spread.
The following week his teammates waited in line. Her line.

Gladiators exist at one end of a broad spectrum. Massage therapists
treat a client population that includes pregnant women and octogenarians,
pre-pubescent wrestlers and hyperactive five-year olds. Following their
first professional massage, older people often come to view their hour
on a long rubber table not as an indulgence but as a tool to improve
their quality of life. Hikers, kayakers, triathletes, cyclists and wrestlers
seek help to offset their sports' common injuries. Some of Brynn's youngest
athletes, 7-8 year old wrestlers, get full massages. "They love the sessions," she
says. Of the emotional upside, she adds, "There are so many benefits
of massage that people don't realize at the time." Indeed. For such children,
massage can offset the potential bad habits of aggressive body contact.
For hyperactive five-year olds, Brynn offers a gentle treatment. "Children
respond very easily," she says. "They're very receptive to touch. They
don't get a deep tissue massage. They're a little more ticklish." The
youngsters might very well become regulars. Some adult clients have sought
treatments on an almost weekly basis for fifteen years.

Contemporary massage treatments have branched out in unexpected directions,
from the spiritually-based approach of the New Age to the experiments
of this age. The current hot thing is mineral. Literally. Practitioners
of Hot Stone Therapy place smooth black basalt rocks (lava stones) on
the skin, which release a deep, penetrating heat. The stones sold on
massagewarehouse.com are things of beauty: smooth, dark, and polished
until they shine like drops of mercury. Up to 54 stones of different
sizes, often shaped to fit the user's hands, are placed on different
trigger points. In a typical treatment, a client might sit up while stones
are placed in two lines on the massage table. Once the stones are in
place, the client will lie down on the rocks, which then deliver a lovely
combination of heat and gentle pressure along the spine. Other stones
get placed on the forehead and between the toes. While Hot Stone Therapy
is designed to increase blood flow and circulation, advocates say it
is also incredibly relaxing. Even so, it can be tricky to introduce to
the uninitiated, and amateurs might find few takers, particularly when
they introduce the word lava. "These rocks go where?" "Um, between your
toes. To start." "Lava." "It's cooled lava. Except that we heat it to
160 degrees." "Water boils at 212." At this point expect a response that
is both skeptical and hopeful, and reflects a western perspective, an
anatomical approach to healing. "Forget the lava. My feet are killing
me. How about a regular foot massage?"

If Swedish massage is the 900 lb gorilla of physical therapy, Reiki,
begun in Japan, is the ethereal butterfly. Advocates claim Reiki draws
on a universal energy and life force ­ resulting in an experience
that sounds like a physical and spiritual caress. Even better, they believe
this "life force energy" is unlimited and accessible to everyone; tapping
into this force, the unseen energy that flows through everything, will
only improve health and enhance the quality of life.

Yoga West in Succasunna, offers a
wonderful opportunity to investigate Reiki. I stopped by to meet Jack
Sicsko, a Reiki Master. The morning seemed well suited to tap the universe's
vital energy, particularly after a failure to respect a long-standing
caffeine addiction. On top of missing the daily dose of java, I'd also
skipped breakfast. A headache blossomed.

Inside Yoga West, Jack and Shirley Sicsko waited while I slipped my
shoes off. (Shoes and coat would be the only items to remove.) Jack led
the way to a massage room, giving a brief description of Reiki while
we climbed the back stairs. The Reiki practitioner places his/her hands
gently on ­ or over - different locations on the body, usually beginning
at the head, and holds his or her hands in place for at least several
minutes. The energy of the universe starts flowing, from hands to patient. "The
body heals itself," he explains. I began to regret my limited time. Our
session would have to be reduced to Reiki-lite.

We settle into a small tranquil room with white walls, a varnished hardwood
floors, and scented candle, and a bleakly utilitarian massage table.
(Appearances are deceiving; the table proved solid enough to support
Dumbo, while offering the cushioned support of a featherbed.) Shirley
Sicsko propped a pillow under my head and legs. Jack rubbed his hands
together for warmth. I shut my eyes and sensed the movement of hands
over my head. A distinct warm pressure tugged at my chest. The tugging
sensation vanished. My scalp tingled. I felt very sleepy when Jack -­ in
a significant departure from western massage treatments ­ asked
to put his hands on my shoulders.

"Do I have permission to touch you?"

I must have nodded. Jack placed both hands on my shoulders ­ and
left them there. No pulling, pounding, caressing on muscles and ligaments.
A warmth eased through my shoulders and neck. He shifted his fingers.
If asked, I would have claimed to feel fingerprints through an oversized
sweater from The Gap. He moved his fingers one more time and stepped
away. I sat up to a pleasant surprise. My headache was gone. In fact
I felt quite sleepy, and mumbled something about his hands in my hair.

"I did not touch your hair." Jack smiled. "My hands were at least six
inches away."

"Reiki is very powerful," Shirley explained. "It accelerates the healing
process, and can be used to cure acute problems. Skilled practitioners
can treat people through objects, like casts and chairs." The Sicsko's
explained how chronic illnesses may take a series of treatments. Reiki
treats the cause of the disease­and pain, which is often linked
to emotional and spiritual states.

Mysterious yet accessible, Reiki can be taught. In fact it is not so
much taught as transferred from the Reiki Master to the student. Once
activated, the student retains the ability for life. Devotees swear by
it as a simple, natural and safe method to align the body and spirit.

At Yoga West, an education in Reiki occurs in stages. Reiki I novices
begin their education in healing with gentle physical contact. By the
time students graduate from Reiki II, Jack and Shirley expect them to
have become intuitive healers who can transmit a stronger energy. Reiki
II students have the choice to work with or without touch. At the next
stage, Reiki III students learn distance healing. The Sicsko's must have
learned to shrug off skeptics. Jack and Shirley have attained a 100%
conversion rate in their family: all five members are Reiki practitioners. "Any
living thing can benefit from Reiki," Jack says. "Even my animals are
receptive." Shirley laughs. "Except sometimes the cats. They're still
cats. But the two dogs love it."

And the headache had vanished.

So what goes on in those back rooms, anyway? What can a nervous newcomer
expect? Even walking into the serenity-saturated Awakening Point in Hackettstown
can be mildly nerve-wracking for newbies, but the next steps are pragmatic
ones. Clients fill out an intake form, which prompts a discussion of
physical issues and needs: High blood pressure, varicose veins, chronic
headaches, allergies, and so on? The answers will determine the session:
a lighter touch, a focus on sinuses or the neck, aromatherapy versus
unscented oils. Once the intake is completed, clients are led to the
massage room where water gurgles from a small fountain; candlelight and
soft music help set the tone. For clients who remain uncertain about
stripping down to their birthday suit, there are other options, such
as corporate chair massage or shiatsu. As Mary Ellen Ricks, the new owner
of Awakening Point, puts it: "you're here to relax and enjoy." Relaxation
and enjoyment follow naturally ­ especially on the heated (yum)
massage table. Many centers offer a selection of scented oils: eucalyptus,
orange, mint, etc. etc., designed to reflect our shifting moods. Clients
are covered with a sheet (in the winter, make that a sheet and a terry
clothe towel); the only exposed area is the part being worked on. Once
set up, the work begins. Different strokes induce different effects,
but the overall result is hopefully the same: an endorphin cloud that
carries your stress off into the ether. No offense to the tykes, but
the children, the annoying neighbor, and your whining colleagues disappear.
Warm fingers work along your neck, spine, shoulders, arms, and legs:
Your boss suddenly seems as substantial as Casper The Ghost.

Most sessions end with a five-to-fifteen minute opportunity to unwind.
Some therapists teach stretching and breathing exercises, and tools to
facilitate the healing of sore joints and muscles. At Awakening Point,
clients are provided with a robe and the option to shower.

Sounds good, right? The next step is to find a masseuse or a masseur.
Ads abound in the yellow pages, creating a dilemma: who is legitimate
versus, to put it delicately, questionable? Therein lies the rub. Your
safest bet is to seek out a health and wellness center; most have certified
massage therapists on staff or working as regular freelancers. Just remember ­ there
isn't one style for everyone. You might decide, after all this, that
you crave a different kind of touch. (For folks seeking a less structured
form of human contact, and lots of it, there are Manhattan's "cuddle
parties", where touch-deprived, pj-clad strangers pay to nuzzle and hug
for several hours.) But if spooning with strangers doesn't float your
boat, you might join the legions of people who've discovered the solace
in structured, professional massage sessions. Clients who experience
the physical and emotional benefits of massage come to see it as something
akin to physical therapy.

Of course treatments can't solve every problem in the physical plane.
I left my Reiki-based introduction to a flowing, connected universal
energy and found it wasn't transferable. I felt marvelous: both awakened
and relaxed. My fuel tank, however, remained empty.

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